Monday, December 23, 2013

Christmas to me has always been nightmare .....................firstly lets just try to get through all the commissions i have in my case its very overwhelming . Every gallery appears to think they are your only gallery and their commissions are the most important but of course they are !!!!! so its how the nightmare begins it starts first week of December when all new works have to be delivered in time for sale over the silly season . I work exceptionally hard an no fun to be around in December ,i am so lucky all my friends understand this .

These beautiful mini's arrive early in December and let me just tell you they do take much longer than ever to paint these day . However they are highly coveted and collected as they are always a bit different every year . In saying that my family are pretty much over getting them as every years its the same old same old . So this year i got them all mugs !!!!!

No i will not be selling mugs now just a family xmas thingy . Edward and the skull are clearly aimed at my niece's and nephews . One very exciting development this year has been the sale of my Alice prints they were just walking out the door. So today which is Xmas eve i am still working , most of my orders have left now . Today its just finishing of last of commissions that did not make it in time for Christmas but i always like to start each year a fresh .

So my beautiful black tree dressed in technicolor is up , Mugs are getting wrapped and I make much effort to stay the hell away from the kitchen as i cant cook . I artfully arrange colorful platters thats my idea of being in the kitchen . Ok and yes i am really excited about boxing day shopping !!!!!!!So soon this all ends my little nightmare that is Christmas .Merry Christmas everyone i hope u all have a super fantastic time over the silly season .xo

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

What a nightmare this traveling internationally with your paints is :( whether u wanna paint phein air style or just paint in a gallery situation as an artist in residence its drama filled . I came to the conclusion that to save issues at customs i would send my case boxed to location rather than take it with me . Of course it could go in checked in luggage for domestic travel but international will be near impossible .

Yes your thinking its water based and acrylic so it should be ok right . The word paint sends alarm bells out at airports. Dont even think of trying to travel with oil paint that would be an artists worst nightmare . Water soluble oil paints would be best if u were an oil devote , due to the flammable nature . You would also have to use words like "oil colours" rather than mention the alarm bell word paint. Even with acyrlic i have a full list of ingredients downloaded from manufacturers of my paint just so there are no dramas whatsoever . ohhhhhh and forget the varnish or get a water based one or buy this at your location .

I picked a very good quality make up artist train case for my paints , as its looks nice lets face it . I however dont expect this to travel like this its will be bubble wrapped and boxed so i might get a few years out of it I hope :).When painting overseas i do not travel light etc as i have to leave paintings in galleries that are the same beautiful standard as here in Australia .So i need everything i use here but just smaller amounts . My brushes always travel with me in my checked in luggage as in my eyes they are just to expensive to loose . I am a brush snob i admit .!!!!!!!Also my sketch book also travels with me the same way i would never want to loose that . Paint can be replaced sketches cant .

Stretched canvas is also packed or could be easily brought overseas depending on your location . I take mine and make sure the backs are ready for hanging so its just one less thing to worry about . I am not taking pliers flying that look like knifes . ohhhhhh and don't take metal pallet knifes take plastic one's or if you must have them in checked in luggage . I also pack all my paints in glad sandwich snap lock bags as who knows what accidents may happen in the air . Hunt out small size's of your paints if you can make things so much easier i have every colour i use in my kit . My travel paint preference is Liquidtex brand as its an international company and always available in overseas art shops . So if you run out your set . !!!!!!

I wanted to write about this is i Googled and could find next to no information on this topic. Hope you find this a bit helpful . I think there is nothing more fun than painting from life in exotic locations .It take one out of the studio and art adventures cant happen spontaneously. I love to travel as often as possible and i always find it so damn inspiring . xox

About Me

I am an excentic artist that walks to the beat of my own drum with my brush as my weapon of choice......'Starr conveys a vigorous New Wave sensiblity with painterly panache with pop attutiude'
Marie R. Pagano (Gallery and Studio magazine NewYork)